Need ad ideas?
Common advice is to “Get inspiration from your competitors”.
But really where?
Meta Ads Library is the top choice of marketers in 2024.
But there are more tools that can help you narrow down what should you be looking at.
The next section has top tools that I use to supplement my hunt for ad ideas.
And then top 7 tips to generate the most value from these ad libraries.
Top Ad Library Tools
Facebook/ Meta: Ads Library (Free), AdSpy ($149/ month)
Google: Google Ads Library (Free)
Youtube: Vidtao (15 mins / month Free)
Others: BigSpy (5 queries/ day Free)
Turn off your ad blocker while using these tools.
Top 7 Ad Library Tips [2024]:
1) “# ads use this creative”
Ad running across ad sets? Likely a top performer.
Most marketers duplicate a winning ad creative across ad sets.
Simply find the text “ads use this creative and text” in your browser all the top ads will highlight themselves.
Click on the ad with the highlight to see the details.
2) “Started running on…”
Ad running since 2+ months? Likely a top performer.
A normal ad’s shelf life just isn’t that long in 2024.
For example, consider this ad running since November 2023 –
Filter by date and ad status to refine results.
3) Creative targeting ideas
Interact with the brand online (website, social media etc), and get served their ad on FB feed.
Tap on 3 dots on top right of the ad and then tap “Why am I seeing this ad?”
It’ll give you ideas on which interest based, list based, age group and location based audiences are being targeted (that you are also a part of)
4) Keyword Play
Use search bar in Meta Ads Library with keywords related to the product/ service you’re selling.
Or a general theme trending, such as ‘shark tank’.
You’ll usually find 100s of new brands doing a far better job of selling. Without the big brand name advantages.
5) Filters
Different types of media can attract different users, within the same ad set/ targeting.
Use combination of platform and media to nail creative storytelling.
The most important are platform, media type, active status and date range.
6) Drive strategy with other teams
Discover if your competition is offering different deals to different audiences by opening landing pages against an ad.
Then design different offers with your teammates basis the new information discovered.
If you play around enough, you’ll also find..
7) UTMs in ad’s landing page URL reveal a lot more
You can find whether the ad is driving top of funnel awareness, or bottom of funnel conversion.
You might even find the name of the agency running the ad in UTMs.
Use Google UTM Builder tool to analyze any URL.
Points 4 through 7 all work with Google Ads Library (a.k.a. Google Transparency Centre) as well.
You don’t need a $5000 course on Facebook Ads to drive the next phase of growth.
Before You Go
Remember, Meta Ads Library is a powerful tool for growth marketers, but it’s not just about finding inspiration from your competitors.
Keep in mind that any ads you make need to drive traffic and eventually translate into sales.
If you need help with creating high quality ads that translate into sales, feel free to follow my LinkedIn profile.
I share helpful tips for growing startups for free.